The Virtue of our Ancestors always blesses us so greatly, we should memorize wholeheartedly. A deep root grows plentiful leaves, a healthy trunk makes strong branches. Your good name remains no change in the world for 10,800 year of the White Yang. Plus the Buddha Light of LAO MU, the Holy Mission will be even more prosperous.
On April 17, 1996, it was the great day of Spring Ancestral Memorial Ceremony at Ming-Xin Holy House, Ping-Dong, Taiwan.
Before dawn, more than 2,600 Dao brothers and sisters arrived at Ming-Xin Holy House. Most of them were traveling at midnight all the way down to the Southland of Taiwan . As to this fact, it really showed their sincerity.
Sincerity makes everything possible. Since LAO MU always blesses people specially for the sincere ones. On that day, the weather was nice with mild sunshine, tender breeze, and moderate temperature. All Dao brothers and sisters touched our Bright Brilliant God in Her boundless compassion and mercy.
Once stepped into the field of Ming-Xin Holy House, we could feel the solemn atmosphere, its neatness and tidiness right away. Everywhere was well arranged such as the resting areas, unit nomination, comfortable chairs, refreshments and drink which could soothe the tired travelers, so that they could take a break and wait for all activities.
Cultural Propagation Department (CPD) introduced the establishment and development of the Ling-Guang Hall briefly and precisely with photos. Especially arranged activities by group in order to make all Dao brothers and sisters more interesting in participation of the activities.
CPD indicated that this time was a hint for text year, hopefully each unit (Holy House) would have its own way to introduce some miraculous manifestations about Ling-Guang Hall as mutual communication of experience. This means to invite all ancestors of our Dao brothers and sisters to suggest or contribute their experience! It also let everyone join together to thank gratefully for the grace of LAO MU; to repay for the virtue of our Holy Teachers.
6:00 AM:
A series of related activities began from morning regards, offerings, and worships prior to the Ancestral Memorial Ceremony.
Great Grand Master Wang led all Advanced Buddha-disciples of First Term and all representatives of each Holy House, one after another to present incense and the morning liturgy. Starting from Ming-Xin Holy House of third floor; the Three-Buddha House of second floor. By proceeded the similar liturgy at Ling-Guang Hall to worship all ancestors: of Buddhas, Saints, Grand Masters, and Masters in third floor; of Mentors and Assistants in second floor; of Dao cultivators in first floor.
When morning liturgy was begun from the Holy House, all Dao brothers and sisters would stay at where they stood and bow sincerely according to the ordinal worship from amplifiers. At that moment, the whole garden was filled in Dao atmosphere, solemn and respect!
While Great Grand Master Wang led everyone to the third floor of Ling-Guang Hall, prior to present incense and liturgy, he specially introduced Grand Master Geng from Tian-Yi Holy House, Taipei.
Three years ago, Grand Master Geng went to China to visit his parents. By that time, he then realized that his parents had passed away. After returned home, he told Great Grand Master Wang, His Holiness urged Grand Master Geng to submit his parents' names into Ling-Guang Hall. Grand Master Geng had not done this because he thought it was unnecessary, but Great Grand Master Wang reiterated him. Eventually Grand Master Geng did so.
Unexpectedly, a few days later, Grand Master Geng dreamt of his parents who looked so bright, well dressed, called his nick name, and said that the place they lived was very great. Grand Master Geng then realized how precious this Ling-Guang Hall was!
8:30 AM:
Ready? On your mark!'' All Dao brothers and sisters proceeded to their own position accordingly. Everyone stood straight quietly and applauded, Great Grand Master Wang and other Grand Masters began to officiate the Ancestral Memorial Ceremony. A bundle of fire-crackers was fired to roar up in the sky and turned on a new historical event. A liturgy offering team of 17 persons was well-trained for offering to all Buddhas and Saints solemnly and perfectly.
9:00 AM:
All Dao brothers and sisters invited Great Grand Master Wang to give us a lecture on the importance of ancestral worship. The content of the lecture was stated below:
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In our cultivation and consecration, we must not forget the root. The purpose we come here today is to worship our Ancestors, our Lineage Patriarchs and their Ancestors. There were totally 64 Generations of Lineage Patriarchs in our Dao System. It would also be referred to:
Anterior Eastern Eighteen Generations lined from Fu-Xi to Mencius;
Mesozoic Western Twenty-eight Generations lined from Maha Kasyapa to Bodhi Dharma;
Posterior Eastern Eighteen Generations lined from Bodhi Dharm to Holy Teachers.
Simply speaking, we come here today is to worship all Buddhas and their Ancestors; to worship our Lineage Patriarchs and their Ancestors; to worship all Buddhas and Saints of Green-Yang Period and Red-Yang Period; to worship our Holy Teachers, Chief Grand Masters, all elder Grand Masters, and all senior cultivators. we have to present incenses and bow to all of them.
In the past, each one of the 64 Generations Lineage Patriarch cultivated and consecrated continuously from one generation to another. Prior to success, they had: to endure all hardships; to assume all sufferings; to face all ascetic ordeals.
Now by the Heavenly Grace of LAO MU, the Virtue of Holy Grand Teacher Maitreya and Holy Teachers, fortunately the Lineage Patriarchs has been extended all the way down to our Holy Teachers for world-wide propagation. Since then we are luckily to have the chance in receiving Great Dao and cultivation.
Today, we come here to worship Lineage Patriarchs, and our ancestors. The true meaning of worship is to manifest my sincerity: to cultivate and consecrate wholeheartedly; to do meritorious deeds to fulfill my vow without losing a second; to follow our Lineage Patriarchs' ascetic practice without any complaint. Even though they did have lots of difficulties, they never blamed. They had only one objective in mind: ''Saving the 3 sentient worlds back to heaven!''
They always bear this wish in their minds. Hopefully, all of us would memorize the same and actually practice this forever!
For 5,000 years of Green-Yang Period and Red-Yang Period, all Buddhas and Saints had also endure hardships and austere life in their cultivation prior to success. This time, our Holy Teachers, receiving the Heavenly Decree of LAO MU, gave true transmission to all our Dao brothers and sisters so that they can receive the true Dao. Therefore we should follow the spirit of all Buddhas, Bodhisattvas and Saints how to overcome problems, ordeals and difficulties in their cultivation. Also we should repay for the grace of LAO MU and all Buddhas, the main point is to endure the hardships and ascetic practice!
Dao is so precious. With the benevolence of LAO MU, Dao is for the Universal Salvation! So that celestial devas of celestial world, human beings of human world, and ghosts of the nether world, can be saved and return to heaven. Our mission is so heavy, therefore just the ascetic practice is not good enough. In the past, as far as cultivation is in ascetic way, it must be a success since the time is so long for 5,000 years. Even if failure in this life, the next life will be another chance again! And again¡
However the True Dao has been bestowed upon the world, the True Transmission is very limited to the time. So then in cultivation and consecration, we have to add up something like this: ''To seize every second; To keep heart imprint for every event regardless how small; conscience facts must be done!''.
True Dao has been bestowed upon us only once in 129,600 years, that is the reason why we have to catch up with every minutes and seconds. If you have 100 years of life, your cultivation will not be enough even you can fully utilize every second! Never think that you still have a long period of time such as 20, 30 years to go. You should be more serious because younger! This is my experience. Since I was 20 years old, I never lose a second in my cultivation and consecration. Now I am almost 80 years old, but I feel very sad! Why? What we cultivate and consecrate is the Holy Mission of LAO MU, Holy Grand Teacher, and Holy Teachers. The Universal Salvation is to save all sentient beings back to heaven. Even though I have been consecrating for 50 years, I do have always a strong feeling that I have just begun to carry out this Holy Mission. I am afraid that I miss a lot to do in this Holy task. What a shame!
I hope that all Dao brothers and sisters could made the same vow while we are here today to worship our Lineage Patriarchs and Ancestors - it is to follow our 64 Generations of Lineage Patriarchs, all Buddha and Saints for the past five thousand years in ascetic practice without complaint and without losing a second.
If you wholeheartedly worship and bow to the Lineage Patriarchs with sincerity, you would never forget and deeply remember the profound meaning that how they helped us to make an easy way along for us to cultivate. We should not disappoint LAO MU, Buddha Maitreya the Holy Teachers and 64 Lineage Patriarchs, we should follow what they did in the past, to do the same in order to repay for their grace!
Great Grand Master Wang gave us a precious lecture to awaken our heart which was being strayed for 60,000 years, being reincarnated from lives to lives, so it was not easy to receive Dao, to cultivate and consecrate.
This is the only golden chance to save our own ancestors out of the nether world and all abysses of pain. Also, this is only way that our ancestors are able to share the heavenly grace of LAO MU and Buddha Maitreya .
9:23 AM:
Great Grand Master Wang led all leaders to the altar to begin the Ceremony. Afterwards, the climax of the Ceremony was the singing of Dao songs. The Master of Ceremony (M.C.) of the day was Master Chang, he introduced the meaning of Dao songs before the choruses sang ''Dao Song of Gratitude'', there was an aeroplane flying over and made a lond ''loom'' noise. Then, the second song was "Reminiscing our Holy Teachers", again, another aeroplane was flying over. Not only that, but both aeroplanes also descended the paratroopers while the chorus was singing.
These events symbolize that LAO MU will assign all Buddhas and Saints to assist in the accomplishment of the Universal Perfection. This Holy task launched with the unity of heaven and human beings, it is vital that only our sincerity can touch LAO MU to ask for such help.
With the Heavenly benevolence, that was a fine day, mild sunshine, tender breeze, and moderate temperature that made everyone felt very comfortable and gave everyone a strong sense that Dao will further propagate widely and prosperously with a bright future.
The most touching part was almost everyone cried when they joined the chorus to sing the Dao songs, the atmosphere suddenly became very solemn, even the M.C. of the day cried at the podium. The preciousness of Dao song was it liked a Holy voice from heaven, a voice of conscience that aroused all Dao brothers and sisters, If they could keep the same spirit in their cultivation and consecration, our Holy Teachers would bless us with their smile in the heaven!
9:56 AM:
All representatives from each Holy House began to present incenses, flowers, fruits and to worship Ancestors, Lineage Patriarchs under a well-planned coordination, the entire ceremony went on well and organized.
During this morning, some Dao brothers and sisters looked up the position of their Ancestral Tablet placed in Ling-Guang Hall. The service was offered by EDP computers on the first floor and was managed by Master Wang, he said: "Ling-Guang Hall had been established for 6 years, and 7,000 tablets were registered for enlist. For better services, we divided into two groups for inquiries this year."
11:10 AM:
The focus of the Ancestral Memorial Ceremony was the singing of the Dao song. There were nine choruses took turn to sing. Even though this was not a singing contest, however it was: their first time to sing before the public since 60,000 years; also their first time to invite Lineage Patriarchs, their Ancestors to enjoy this event. What a great honor it was!
No experience! No skill! Nothing but just a piece of sincere mind and sing it wholeheartedly. For many people, even it was the first time in their whole life, it must be excited and nervous for sure. However no matter how many "first time" or how many reasons to be scared, the most marvelous feeling they had - it seemed that their ancestors were more excited and more touched. By watching their descendants singing on the platform, might be they organized as a cheer-leader team! Existence and non-existence reunited in one; human and heaven reunited in one; hearts alike, actions alike; universal happiness!
The selected Dao song for this Spring term was Dao Consummation will be enlisted on Heaven. The good name will be memorized in the world. There were three chapters in total, only one was required to be chosen. All chorus members were very serious and concentrate as we could observe from how they prepared well for this event, for example, their attitude, outlook, dressed and song books.
We thank to the Heavenly Grace of LAO MU and the Virtue of Holy Grand Teacher Maitreya and Holy Teachers, within this half a year we had a strong feedback and enthusiastic support from many Dao fields all over the world. Fortunately, we can show the result of these Dao songs on this important day before our Lineage Patriarchs and our Ancestors, our delights was unforgettable!
Nine chorus groups performed one after another, and each one had their strong points in their performance. Among all chorus members, there were a lot of youngsters and this could prove that many talents were added into our Dao fields. It also meant that Dao will have prosperous and bright future!
When we asked the chorus members how they felt, we found that almost all of them did not satisfy with their performance, but this was a good experience as they really acted alike with hearts alike. Some said:-
" It is not enough to sing only one song." "By singing Dao song, we can express our deep feeling of gratitude." "The performance of Dao songs is very cere-monious." "Hopefully, everyone of us can consistently keep such level of attention in our cultivation and consecration as how we concentrate in singing Dao songs." "It is totally different from other music, as singing Dao song is a way to manifest our conscience." "Dao song is having a beauty of simplicity, everyone would love to listen quite often." Some Dao brothers and sisters from other Holy House commented that this special day was in perfect order, especially the arrangement of singing Dao songs which was easily aroused their heart of gratitude to LAO MU.
The Advanced Buddha-disciples of First Term felt that it was a great honor in participation of this great Ceremony with Great Grand Master Wang.
At the same time, they had acquired valuable experience in organizing such a function.
Although it was tired to travel all night long from Missionary Institute to Ming-Xing Holy House, we could have a deeper understanding how difficult our Holy Teachers it was in their cultivation and consecration, also the hardship that Great Grand Master Wang went through when he set up Ling-Guang Hall. A peaceful and stable home for those deceased real cultivators. Hence, all Dao brothers and sisters should make a wish to be a devotee in order to repay Their gratitude.
Finally, Great Grand Master Wang encouraged all chorus members should put more efforts in their performance and he trusted that Lineage Patriarchs Ancestors, Buddhas, and Saints would be delighted. Within the White-Yang Period , we should carry out the mission of Universal Sal-vation, do more merits and fulfill more vows to repay our Holy Teachers¡ Grace.
Great Grand Master Wang also gave a special compliment to Da-Guang chorus that they could sing by reciting lyrics. Da-Guang chorus had set up a good example and hopefully other choruses could follow in the next year.
12:40 AM:
The Ceremony ended up in a thankful atmosphere. From the warm smiling of all Dao brothers and sisters, we could feel that our Ancestors in the Heaven were very glad as well.
1. From different districts and even from overseas, our Dao brothers and sisters with deep sincerity, come in great numbers to follow the ceremony.
2. The chorus of Buddha-disciples of Missionary Institute starts the Dao song performance
3. The grateful voice of different age reverberates in every corner of the garden.
4. Filled with sense of filial piety, filial Dao brothers and sisters, by means of computer, are checking the altar position of their ancestral tablet
5. Our brothers and sister who work in the kitchen, are preparing delicious food whole-heartedly.
With loving kindness,
To all beings of the 3 world...
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